An Integrated Approach for Identifying and Prioritizing Potential Areas as Conservation Reserves in the Western Ghats, India

摘要

We studied the Agasthyamalai region of the Western Ghats to identify and prioritize potential areas to declare as Conservation Reserves using biological and social values in the southern Western Ghats. In this two phase study, throughthe desktop analysis (ERDAS Imagine, IRS-LISS4 data) identified four major forest patches viz., Kallar (24.05 km2), Ponmudi (57.17 km2), Chankili (119.64 km2) and Achancovil (7.55 km2) under the Palode and Kulathupuzha Forest Ranges of Thiruvananthapuram Forest Division(FD) and Achancovil Range of Achancovil FD. Second phase aggregated data pertaining to above four patches on presence of climax type of forests, biological wealth indicated by species richness, presence of endemic and critical species of plants and animals (vertebrate species excluding mammals) and indigenous peoples' reliance on natural resources like water and NTFP. An overlay analysis using Arc GIS 9.1, the thematic layers have been created and subsequently integrated to infer the hierarchy within the four patches. The highest weighted average conservation value (=117.5) was scored by Ponmudi, followed by (=100) Chankili and (=90) Achancovil, where as lowest score of 67.5 attributed to Kallar patch. Highest dependency value of 40 was attributed to Achancovil, followed by Ponmudi and Chankili equally scored (=35), while the Kallar scored only 25. Based on sum of conservation and dependency values, Ponmudi patch stands out with highest priority (=152.5) in Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, and otherstrail behind respectively.